Automatic coupling for railway-cars.



W. v. SOKOLOWSKI.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1913.

Patented July 21, 1914.

4 SHIJETS-SHBET 1.

7H E AORRIS PETERS-CON PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. C.

W. v. SOKOLOWSKI.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1913.

1,104,713. Patented July 21,1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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W. v. SOKOLOWSKL AUTOMATIC COUPLING FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.6, 1918.

1,104,713. Patnted July 21,191 L 4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

W. v. SOKOLOWSKI.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING FOR RAILWAY (JARS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1913.

Patented July 21, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

wrronn v. SOKOLOWSKI, or WARSAW, RUSSIA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO wrronnMOBZYCKI, or sr. rnrnnsnune, RUSSIA.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING FOR RAILWAY-CARS,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. January 6, 1913. Serial No. 740,436,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WIroLn v. SoKoLowresiding at Varsaw, Russia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in the most important partsof couplings constructed on the mentioned principle, have attached tothem disadvantages owing to the action of the same not beingsufliciently certain, as they are not equal to the require ments ofworking which are exceedingly seoperation.

vere. This is due, on the one hand, to the locking members being underthe influence of only one component of the tensile force which occurs,so that they can be readily re leased by too small a force, and, on theother hand, the distribution of the forces is so unfavorable and theconstruction of the locking members can readily break when at work.

A primary object of my invention is to provide an improved automaticcoupling to which these disadvantages are not attached. To this end, Iarrange that the two halves of the coupling are locked together bychains which are attached to the draw hooks being automatically fixed,said chains being for this purpose automatically compelled to form withthe halves of the coupling a rigid connection during the coupling As thelocking takes place by means of the chains attached to the draw hooks,the entire tensile force is available for the locking, and, in addition,provision is made that the tensile force acts as favor.- ably aspossible in every respect, the construction of the coupling beingexceedingly simple. The coupling and locking of the two halves'of thecoupling effected under these favorable conditions enables the couplingto be undone by hand without exerting much force and without specialauxiliary means.

SKI, a subject of the Czar of Russia, and

vention are represented by way of example in the accompanying. drawings,wherein Automatic Couplings for Railway-Cars, of

Two illustrative embodiments of my in- Figure 1 is a side elevationshowing the coupling in 1ts engaged position, and Flg. 2 1s a top planview thereof; Flg. 3 is an elevation showing one half of the couplingsuspended from a draw hook, and Fig. dis a like view of the other halfof the coupling pressedidownward; Figs. 5 and G. are side elevation,partly 1n section, and horizontal section, respectively, showing the twohalves of the coupling before their engagement, and Fig. 7 is ahorizontal section showing the halves of the coupling engaged; Fig. 8 isa section through part of one half of the Patented July 21, 1914.

coupling; Fig. 9 is abottom plan view showing the transverse slidingbolt and the inner link of the chain, Fig. 10 is an elevation showingthe transverse sliding bolt, and

Fig. 11 is a vertical longitudinal section through the latter; Fig. 12is a bottom plan view showing the frame and the interme diate rods; Fig.13 is a side elevation showing a'modified form of the two halves of thecoupling before their engagement, Fig. .14 is a like view thereof afterthey have been locked thefirst time, and Fig. 15is a zontal sectionthrough the two halves of thecou lin in the osition corres aondin to thefirst locking operation, and Fig. 21 is a like view after the couplinghas been locked v The couplingframe is movably connected by means ofthese arms with a chain 6 which may consist of two or three links; thepivot pin 5 at one end of the chain slides in the slots in the arms 2, 3and passes through the draw hook H. The other end of the chain 6 has thesquare link 7 which is provided with the projection 8 and is guided insuitable openings 9, 10 in the coupling head 1. The link 7 also passesthrough the slot 14 of a transverse sliding bolt 11 (Figs. 5 and 11)which moves transversely of the direction of the tensile force in asquare hole 21 in the coupling head 1. This transverse slide 11 isprovided with one recess 12 and one recess 13 which coact with theprojection 8 of the link 7 this projection being held by the influenceof a small spring 38, on which the tensile force has no influence, inthe one or the other recess. The one end of the bolt or slide 11 isprovided with slanting rectangular'key ways 17 (Figs. 6, 7, 9, 10 and11). In addition, the transverse bolt has screwed to it a pin 18provided with a head 19 and a beveled face 20 which coact with thehereinafter described intermediate rod 33. The pin 18 moves in an ovalhole 22 in the coupling head 1. .At both sides of the hole 22 on thehead 1 are two projections or stops 30 and'31 (Figs. 8 and 12), of whichthe projection 31 has a recess 32 for receiving the head 19 of the pin18 (Figs. 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 12). The head 1 is also provided with theprojection or stop 23 and the necks 24; which are so broad that the lugs15 provided on the head 1 can enter into them when the coupling is beingcoupled. The lugs 15 are provided with slanting ribs 26 by which thewedge-shaped faces 27 are formed inside and the sliding faces 28outside. The ribs .26 work in the grooves 17, and the sliding faces 28coact with the faces 16 of the transverse slide 11. A bowshapedintermediate rod 33 provided with a slanting or beveled projection 3 1is pivoted by means of a pin 37 in the usual hole provided in every drawhook; when not in use this rod 33 is held in a downwardly slantingposition by the hooks 35 which are fulcrumed at 36 and engage over thepivot 5 of the chain.

In order to enable the coupling to be released both on a straightsection and also on a curve and at various elevations of the cars, thetwo halves of the coupling are lifted in the plane of engagement bymeans known in themselves, for example curved horns 1 which coactcrosswise with guides 29 provided on the lugs 15. hen lifting upward,the intermediate rod 33 is lifted by the head 19 of the pin 18 andthereby establishes a rigid connection between the frame of the couplingand the chain. Consequently, the lugs 15 of the one frame enter into theneck 24 of the other, and the ribs 26 into the groove 17 of thetransverse bolt 11. After the very slight pressure of the spring 38 hasbeen overcome, the transverse bolt 11 is thereby shifted so far in thehole 21 that the recess 12 arrives opposite the projection 8 of the link7 and the projection 8 snaps under the influence of the spring 38 intothis recess. During this time the head 19 of the pin 18 moves out ofreach of the pro jection 3 1 into the recess 32, whereby theintermediate rod 33 is released and now falls back into its initialposition, so that the rigid connection between the chain and the frameof the coupling is done away with. If the cars thus coupled are nowdrawn to one side, by a locomotive for example, the entire tensile forceis taken up by the chain, the bolt 11 and the wedge-shaped faces 17, 26.That component of the tensile force which acts in the direction of thearrow I (Fig. 7 is taken up by the projection 23 of the head 1. Theoppositely directed component tends to shift the bolt 11 into itsunlocking position. This force, however, is opposed by the entiretensile force of the chain which acts at right angles on the bolt, sothat in this manner a completely rigid and certain coupling is obtained, particularly as the tensile force acts centrically. In order todetach this coupling, 2'. 6. to unlock the bolt 11, it is sufficient topush apart the two coupling frames a distance equal to the depth of the.

recess 13 in the bolt 11. As will be readily understood, the forcerequisite for this is dependent on the angle of inclination of therecess and on the angle of inclination of the groove 17 in the bolt 11,and when properly designed the angle may be so small that the couplingcan be readily opened even when the chains are pulled taut. In practice,for example, the coupling can be opened from outside the cars by hand bymeans of a lever L which abuts against the pivot 39 mounted in thehead 1. Owing to the two coupling frames being pushed apart the bolt 11is released and the frames return into the position shown in Fig. 6.After being released and as long as the frames do not fall into theirinitial positions, uncoupling is impossible, because the rigidconnection of the frames with the chain with the aid of the intermediaterod 33 is necessary therefor. This has the advantage that when shuntingthe one car can be set moving by jerks.

In order completely to negative 'zhe action of the automatic coupling itsuffices to re move the halves of the coupling out of the such rod isused for this purpose. In this simplified embodiment, however, it issimultaneously possible to obtain a double lock which could not beobtained in the embodiment described with reference to Figs. 1 to 12.

Referring now to Figs. 13 to 24, instead of the abovedescribedintermediate rod and the arms 2, 3 connected with the coupling head, twoslide rods 41 having slots 42 and 42 are arranged on the pins 5, 5 ofthe chain 6 consisting in this case of only two links (Figs. 13-17). Theslide rods 41 terminate atone common tongue 54 and are provided withprojections 55 at the other end. A rocking plate 40 is mounted to rockabout a bolt 25 mounted on the bottom of the head 1, which platecomprises a thick portion at and a thin portion a (Figs. 15, 20.) Twobolts 43, 44, rigidly connected with the transverse bolt 11, move in anoval hole 22 in the head 1. A connecting member 52 having a downwardlybent end 53 is attached to the bolts 43, 44. (Figs. 14, 17, 24.) Thetransverse slide or bolt 11, which is other wise like that describedabove and can move in the head 1 transversely of the direction of thetensile force, here possesses four similar recesses a, b c, d (Figs. 22,23). The projection 8 of the inner link 7 of the chain has twoprojections c, f, (Fig. 19) corresponding to the recesses a, b, 0, (Z ofthe transverse slide. The coupling heads 1 run out into bent guide rods4 guided at the inlet faces 29 (Fig. 19).

The outer link of the chain 6 is provided with two flat projections 45which can bear against the pins 37 provided in the hole in the hook ofthe car (Figs. 14, 17). Suspended from this pin 37 at the two sides ofthe hook are two chains each consisting of two links 46, 47, of whichthe link 47 is pivoted to the pin 5 of the outer link of the chain 6.The links 46 are provided with oval slots 48, which coact with the pin37, and with projections 49 (Figs. 13, 15, 16) and possess lever arms50, to which is pivoted the-one link 51 embracing the hook H (Fig. 16).

When the two halves of the coupling approach one another the guide rods4 arrive between the inlet faces 29 and slide on the top of the head 1and the transverse bolt 11 (Figs. 18, 19). The bolt 44 attached to thebottom of the transverse bolt 11 moves under the influence of the latterout of the position shown in Fig. 19 into that accordbolt 11, so thatthe coupling is locked a first time in thismanner (Figs. 14, 20). -Thetongue 54 of the slide rods 41 is held in this position by the thinnerpart a of the rocking plate 40 and in this manner establishes a rigidconnection of the coupling head 1 and the chain 6 (Figs. 14, 20). W henthe two halves are pushed farther together, under the influence of thegroove 15 of the sliding bolt and the ribs 26 of the coupling head. 1the sliding bolt is shifted still farther transversely of thedirectionof the train in such manner that the projections e, f of the lug S ofthelink 7 pass into the recesses .0, cl of the bolt 11, this boltsimultaneously arriving at the end of its path, so that the coupling islooked a second time in this manner. During this time the bolt 44 passesout of the position shown in Fig. 20 into that according to Fig. 1, andthe rocking plate 40 arrives into a plane running parallel to thedirection of the train. In this position the" tongue 54 arrives out ofreach of the rocking plate 40, so that in the moment when the couplingis looked a second time, the rigid connection between the coupling head1 and the chain 6 is done away with and when the tensile force occursthe same is completely taken up by the chains and the wedgeshapedfacesof the sliding bolts and of the coupling head.

Now if the two coupling heads are removed from one another by means ofthe key L for the purpose of disconnecting the cou pling, during themovement of the sliding bolt 11 caused thereby the bolt 43 approachesthe rocking plate 40. Simultaneously, the parts 6, f of the projectionor lug 8 of the link 7 leave the recesses b, 0 of the sliding bolt 11and rest on the walls of the sliding bolt 11 separating the recesses a,b, 0, (Z. As the coupling heads are located at an angle (Fig. 15)relatively to the chain, a further displacement of the rocking plate 40is not possible, as this plate must bear against the tongue 54 of thesliding rods 41. Complete unlocking can therefore now occur only whenthe cars are pushed apart in such manner that the coupling headscoincide with the chains in one plane (Fig. 14), so that in this casethe swinging plate 40 can arrive under the tongue 54 of the sliding rods41 and take up the posit-ion according are lifted by the projections 55and consequently the link 51 bears against the hook H and holds theentire half of the coupling in the desired slanting position.

l Vhen two cars are to be coupled it now suilices for the two halves ofthe coupling to approach one another whereby the rocking plate 40 isshifted again out of the angular position shown in Fig. 19 into theposition according to Fig. 21, when the thicker portion m oi. the plate40 moves with its slanting wall out of reach of the tongue 54:, so thatthe sliding rods 41 are now in a position to shift under their ownweight inthe direction of the coupling heads, the

stops 55 being released by the projections 419 of the links 46.

As will be understood from the above, in the embodiment last describedthe intermediate rod in the former embodiment is entirely superfluous,it being substituted by the rocking plate t0 and the sliding rods 41,these rods simultaneously replacing the above described rods 2, 3connected with the coupling heads 1. Simultaneously, however, asmentioned above, it is possible to lock the coupling twice. vVhen theintermediate rod is employed, the coupling can be locked only once,because immediately after the mutual engagements of the halves of thecoupling the intermediate rod falls down and the coupling head is nolonger rigidly connected with tne chain. In the latter embodiment, onthe contrary, it is possible to lock the coupling twice, because owingto the special form of the rocking plate 4.0, the rigid connection canbe maintained until the coupling is looked a second time, whichoperation is effected after the collision of the buffers of the cars.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 13 to 24, however, an improvedrigid connection between the coupling heads and the chains is alsoobtained, as, on the one hand, the moving parts are not exposed to suchgreat wear, and, on the other hand, the force met with during thestiffening acts perfectly centrically in consequence of the employmentof sliding rods, while in the embodi ment according to Figs. 1 to 12 theforce acts below the axis of the tensile force.

Owing to the coupling being locked twice the automatic coupling acquiresthe property which is possessed by the known, nonautomatic couplingmembers provided on every car, and consists in its being possible tofasten the chain present in ordinary couplings by a screw. This isobtained in the present case in similar manner by the coupling beinglocked twice, the one looking operation taking place before thecollision of the buffers, and the second at the moment of the collisionor at a predetermined time after the actual collision.

In order to remove the coupling described in Figs. 13 to 24.- irom thehook of the car it 'sufiices to shift the connecting member 52 (Figs.22, 24:) together with the transverse sliding bolt 11 into the positionshown in Figs. 15 and 21, whereby the rocking plate 4.0 releases thetongue 54: and the projections 55 in such manner that the half of thecoupling falls into a vertical position, whereupon it can be removedfrom the jaw of the hook, so that it readily depends from the pin 37 asshown in Fig. 18.

I claim 1. In an automatic coupling device for railway cars, thecombination of two coupling halves, each coupling half having a couplinghead, a draw hook, a connection between the coupling head and the drawhook, a member adapted to slide in said head perpendicularly tothelongitudinal axis of the coupling device, means for producing thesliding movement of the member by the engagement of the two heads oneinto the other, a link chain loosely attached to the draw hook, theinner link of the link chain passing centrally through the head andthrough said member, the inner link having a projection centrallylocking the member, and means provided in each member for releasingautomatically the said connection be tween the head and the draw hook.

2. In an automatic coupling device for railway cars, the combination ofdraw hooks, two coupling halves normally supported by the draw hooks ina downwardly inclined position, each coupling half having a cou plinghead, a connection between the coupling head and the draw hook, eachhead having a curved horn and a guide, the guide of one head coactingwith the horn of the other head, a link chain loosely attached to thedraw hook, the inner link of the link chain passing centrally throughthe head, a mem ber adapted to slide in the head perpendicularly to thelongitudinal axis of the coupling device and through which the innerlink of said chain passes, means for producing the sliding movement ofthe member by the en gagement of the two heads one into the other, theinner link having a projection centrally locking the member, and meansprovided in each member for releasing automatically the said connectionbetween the head and the draw hook.

8. In an automatic coupling device for railway cars, the combination ofdraw hooks, two coupling halves normally supported by the draw hooks ina downwardly inclined position, each coupling half having a couplinghead, a connection between the coupling head and the draw head, eachhead having a curved horn and a guide and a central opening, the guideof one head coasting with the horn of the other head, a link chainloosely attached to the draw hook, the inner link'of the'link chainforming a bolt passing cenhead, a member having a recess and adapted toslide in the head arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis ofthe device and through which the chain passes, each member beingprovided with a slot and with a ing automatically the said connection.be f

tween the head and thedraw hook."

4. In an automatic coupling device for railway cars, the combination ofdraw hooks, two coupling halves normally supported by the draw hooks ina downwardly inclined position, each coupling half having a couplinghead with a curved horn and a guide, the guide of one head coacting withthe horn of the other head, rods supporting said head against the drawhook and adapted to be automatically connected with the coupling head, alink chain loosely attached to the draw hook, the inner link of the linkchain passing centrally through the head, a member adapted to slide inthe head perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the couplingdevice, and through which said chain passes, means for producing thesliding movement of the member by the engagement of the two heads oneinto the other, the inner link having a projection centrally locking themember, and means provided in each member and each head forautomatically releasing the connection by the rods between the head andthe draw hook.

5. In an automatic coupling device for railway cars, the combination ofdraw hooks, two coupling halves normally supported by the draw hooks ina downwardly inclined osition, each coupling half having a coupling headwith a curved horn and a guide, rod having slots and adapted to sup portthe head against the draw hook, a common tongue, a link chain looselyattached to the draw hook, the inner link of the chain passing centrallythrough the head, a member adapted to slide perpendicularly to the axisof the coupling device and on the head, and through which member thesaid link passes, means for producing a sliding movement of the memberby the engagement of the two heads one into the other, the inner linkhaving a projection centrally locking the member, a rocking platepivotally mounted on the coupling head and engaging the tongue, and pinsattached to the member coacting with'the rocking plate.

6. In an automatic coupling device for railway cars, the combination ofdraw hooks, two coupling halves normally supported by the draw hooks ina downwardly inclined position, each coupling half having a couplinghead formed with a central opening, and with a curved horn, and a guideto coact with similar parts of the other head, rods having slots andadapted to support the head against the draw hook, a common tongue, alink chain loosely attached to the draw hook, the inner link of thechain forming a bolt passing centrally through the central opening ofthe head, a member adapted to slide-in the'head and through which thesaid link passes, said member being arranged perpendicularly to thelongitudinal axis of thedevice, each member be [ing provided with a'slotand with a slanting groove, the other head having a slanting rib toengage said groove, a lug formed with said rib and adapted to take intoa neck of the other head, the inner link having a projection adapted toengage the member and centrally locking this member, a rocking platepivotally mounted on the coupling head and engaging the tongue, and pinsattached to the member coacting with the rocking plate.

7. In an automatic coupling device for railway cars, the combination ofdraw hooks, two coupling halves normally supported by the draw hooks ina downwardly inclined position, each coupling halt having a couplinghead provided with a curved horn and a guide, rod having slots andsupporting the head against the draw hook, a common tongue, a link chainloosely attached to the draw hook, the inner link of the link chainpassing centrally through the head, a member adapted to slideperpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the device and in the head,and through which member said link passes, means for producing a slidingmovement of the member by the engagement of the two heads one into theother, a rocking plate pivotally mounted on the coupling head andprovided with a small outer portion and a thick inner portion, aprojection on the inner link to lock said member, the small and thickportions aforesaid engaging the tongue, and pins attached to the membercoacting with the rocking plate.

8. In an automatic coupling device for railway cars, the combination ofdraw hooks, two coupling halves, each coupling half having a couplinghead with a curved horn and a guide, a link chain loosely attached tothe draw hook, a sliding member mounted to move on the headperpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the coupling device, theinner link of the link chain passing centrally through the head andthrough said sliding member adapted to slide therein, means forproducing the sliding movement of the member by the engagement of thetwo heads one into the other, the inner link having a projectioncentrally locking the member, two rods having slots and projections, acommon tongue and provided at the bolts of the link chain, an auxiliarytwo-link chain on the draw hook, one link of the same being pivotallyconnected with the bolts of the link-chain, the other link beingpivotally mounted in the ordinary hook hole, a bow pivotally connectedwith the other link of the auxiliary chain and surrounding the underside of the draw hook, the said other link being provided withprojections eoacting with Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

